By Zephyria ■
Actor Seo Jun-yeong Withdraws from Film
Actor Seo Jun-yeong has withdrawn from the film ‘Cream Mansion.’ Today, a representative from Seo Jun-yeong’s agency stated, “After careful consideration, Seo Jun-yeong has decided not to appear in the film ‘Cream Mansion.’ He has always harbored a dream of serving others, and an excellent opportunity has arisen, leading him to solidify his decision before it’s too late.”
Given how much he cared for the project, the actor had deeply contemplated the decision, but it was made after extensive discussions with the production team. Seo Jun-yeong is scheduled to depart for India at the end of this month to engage in local missionary and cultural volunteer work.
As a result, the film
⤷Who cares if some unknown old man quits or goes to volunteer? Do they really have nothing else to write about? Who is this guy?
⤷What is cultural volunteer work anyway lol? Are they going to perform plays in front of locals? A passing dog would laugh lol. They’ll probably just go to India, do some yoga, and call it cultural volunteer work lol. Then they’ll come back and talk endlessly about it, trying to get credit lol.
⤷He goes to the same △△ church as me. He acts all pious on TV, but he only shows up at church once every month or two lol. Instead of thinking about volunteering in India, pay your tithes, brother lol.
⤷Isn’t missionary work in India supposed to be life-threatening? There are a lot of places where it’s forbidden, right?
⤷Last time I saw him criticizing our Gyu-yeon’s acting, I almost threw up. Even if you were a former idol, you’re a worse actor than him. Go to India or wherever and don’t come back, ugh.
⤷These days, if you’re ugly, you’re automatically a great actor, and if you come from the theater scene, you’re treated as a great actor. I don’t know if he’s a good actor. He always does the same over-the-top acting.
⤷Withdrawal? What withdrawal lol. Everyone in the film industry knows he’s incredibly greedy for awards, and he’s not the type to withdraw from Kang Woo-hyun’s film. He’s guaranteed an invitation to Cannes, and at best, he’ll get Best Director, or if he does well, the Palme d’Or, according to the media. So Seo Jun-yeong withdrawing for volunteer work? That’s impossible lol. He was definitely kicked out for being too pushy lol.
The actors who had gathered for the script study were all talking about Seo Jun-yeong’s article. It was sudden, and not exactly good news, so two or three people whispered in hushed voices. Someone asked if the withdrawal news was true, saying they couldn’t reach Seo Jun-yeong. But since everyone else couldn’t reach him either, they just shook their heads.
“Senior Jun-yeong was fired, right?”
“The article said he’s going to India or somewhere for volunteer work.”
“Do you believe that, Senior? Why, that day… he was called in by Lee Hae-sung at the last minute, wasn’t he?”
A young actor talking across from them lowered his voice, glancing at ‘Yoon Hye-an.’ It was precisely because Seo Jun-yeong had been called in by Lee Hae-sung after an argument with ‘Yoon Hye-an.’
“There were so many malicious comments on the article. People saying they go to the same church as Senior Jun-yeong, or that they worked together on the same movie and know him well…”
“Honestly, he brought it upon himself.”
Someone said quietly, with hesitation in their voice.
“Jun-yeong-ssi also talked a lot about other people’s business without really knowing them. Honestly, when he mentioned ‘rag’ last time, I was taken aback. He crossed the line.”
As one person voiced their dissatisfaction with Seo Jun-yeong, others chimed in with agreement. These were the people who had remained silent whenever Seo Jun-yeong acted rudely. Choi Hong-seo understood that their change in attitude was bitter but also inevitable. Morality was not an obligation. One could not criticize others for not making the morally superior choice.
Kim Yi-jung, who had been looking at her phone as if uninterested in the others’ conversation, leaned towards Choi Hong-seo and whispered.
“I knew that person would end up like that soon.”
Choi Hong-seo looked at her.
“The Manshin who presided over our movie’s go-sa. He hinted at it when I went for a ritual last time.”
The mention of the Manshin made Choi Hong-seo’s heart pound.
“He told me there would be a purge among those around me soon, so I should stay away to avoid getting involved. I thought he meant Senior Seo Jun-yeong.”
“Yi-jung-ssi, did you go to see him?”
“Why, Hye-an-ssi, are you interested too? Want to go together? I already have an appointment booked for two weeks from now.”
Kim Yi-jung’s eyes sparkled as she moved closer. She was a person who rarely showed emotion, so this level of interest was unprecedented.
Of course, he wanted to meet that person. He had many questions.
After meeting CEO Lim Sang-jin at ENA, he had fallen ill again, and the number of spots on his body had increased. They weren’t ringworm, and they didn’t itch, so he wanted to ask what these spots meant.
『How can a ghost gain a body, and a corpse gain a soul?』
He wanted to ask why he had said that. If the corpse he mentioned then referred to Yoon Hye-an, then what had happened to Yoon Hye-an’s soul?
And most importantly, how could he stay by Lee Hae-sung’s side? Was there even a way? That was what he wanted to ask the most. But he couldn’t break his promise with Lee Hae-sung. He didn’t want to make him anxious.
“I’d like to go, but…”
“People who haven’t been tend to think of it as a bit scary.”
Kim Yi-jung nodded in understanding.
“Just think of it as a consultation. Like getting life advice from an experienced senior. Life counseling.”
Then, she rummaged through her bag and handed him a business card. Lee Jong-ik, a shaman. It was a card bearing only his name, without any common titles like General or Fairy.
“If you want a quiet, private consultation, give him a call. It’s hard to get a new appointment without a referral.”
Choi Hong-seo couldn’t readily accept the business card Kim Yi-jung handed him and just looked down at it.
“Well, Hye-an-ssi… even without a referral, the Manshin will probably welcome you.”
It was a strangely meaningful remark. He asked with his expression what she meant, but Kim Yi-jung simply held the card out towards Choi Hong-seo again.
Just then, Park Dong-ha appeared, about to enter the restaurant. He was usually early, but this time he arrived almost exactly on time. Choi Hong-seo, who had been hesitating, took the business card, put it in his cardigan pocket, and hurried towards Park Dong-ha.
“Let’s talk for a moment in the hallway.”
“About what?”
He had tried contacting Park Dong-ha several times over the past few days, but the younger man had refused ‘Yoon Hye-an’s’ calls. He had no choice but to wait to meet him at the script study.
As soon as they stopped in the hallway outside the restaurant, Park Dong-ha brushed off Choi Hong-seo’s hand. It was a sharp, dismissive gesture, as if shaking off an unpleasant insect.
“You’re not going to the after-party today either, are you?”
“Why? What does that have to do with Hyung?”
“Make some time after the study. I have something important to discuss.”
“Something important? What, cat treats?”
Park Dong-ha scoffed and glared at Choi Hong-seo with unfriendly eyes. He seemed to have firmly decided to treat ‘Yoon Hye-an’ with hostility. This was the reaction he had expected.
“We have something to resolve. It’s about ‘Titan.’”
“……”
Park Dong-ha, forgetting his hostile glare, widened his eyes in surprise. He hadn’t expected those words to come from Choi Hong-seo’s mouth first. His expression clearly conveyed that.
“It’s not really something to discuss outside. Your place is fine, and so is mine.”
Although he was staying at Lee Hae-sung’s residence in Bundang, his previous studio apartment remained untouched. They had decided together with Lee Hae-sung that it would be good to keep it for an alibi if needed. Clothes, household items, furniture… in other words, everything that had belonged to Yoon Hye-an remained there.
Park Dong-ha, who had been biting his lower lip, answered decisively despite his hesitation.
“Okay. Let’s. I have something to say too.”
“Then I’ll come to your place.”
“Fine… whatever.”
Park Dong-ha, maintaining a nonchalant and grumpy attitude, his gaze shifted past Choi Hong-seo’s shoulder. His expression softened as he trailed off. He looked down, seeming embarrassed or awkward.
Without needing to turn around to check, he seemed to know what Park Dong-ha had seen.
“Hello, Vice President.”
Park Dong-ha bowed first, and Choi Hong-seo turned around to confirm Lee Hae-sung’s face.
“Hello.”
It was a greeting delivered as dryly as possible, trying not to inject any emotion. Conversely, Lee Hae-sung stopped in front of them with a warm smile.
“Have you been well?”
“Yes. Vice President… you seem to have lost a little weight.”
At Park Dong-ha’s words, Lee Hae-sung stroked his jawline and narrowed his eyes.
“Really? Have I? I can’t tell… What do you think, Hye-an-ssi? Have I lost weight since I last saw you?”
Lee Hae-sung leaned his face towards ‘Yoon Hye-an.’ As if asking him to look closely.
Lee Hae-sung had seen him off when he left for work this morning. The sheer audacity of asking someone he had been with just a few hours ago if he looked thinner than the last time he saw him flustered Choi Hong-seo.
“W-well… I think he’s just the same as before…”
“Hmm, is that so? Yoon Hye-an, you don’t seem very interested in Park Dong-ha.”
Every word and action from Lee Hae-sung was precarious. It made Choi Hong-seo anxious.
He didn’t care what people thought. Even if he announced they were lovers, not sponsors, people would think what they wanted anyway, so he wanted them to at least properly recognize the fact that Lee Hae-sung cared for ‘Yoon Hye-an.’ That was Lee Hae-sung’s stance.
“Ah, Haesung, you’re here. Come in. Everyone seems to be making a fuss about Jun-yeong.”
Director Kang Woo-hyun, who had been in the kitchen area, appeared with a dark expression. Director Kang, hurrying his steps as if the situation had become troublesome, led the way past the three of them, and Lee Hae-sung followed.
As he passed by the two men who had stepped aside along one side of the hallway, Lee Hae-sung casually placed his palm on ‘Yoon Hye-an’s’ cheek. That much was acceptable. It was a level of physical contact that could be passed off as an older man showing affection for a much younger junior. However, lingering and fiddling with his earlobe at the end was going too far.
Not just Park Dong-ha, but even Choi Hong-seo was surprised. Lee Hae-sung was clearly enjoying this secret relationship, and he was clearly enjoying Choi Hong-seo’s bewilderment. He had no intention of keeping this secret relationship a secret.
He felt Park Dong-ha’s glare. It was a look that said, ‘Even now, you’re saying you and Lee Hae-sung are nothing?’ Choi Hong-seo had no choice but to pretend not to notice, as he had no words to answer. He looked with a hint of resentment at Lee Hae-sung’s broad back as he entered the dining room first. It felt as if he might turn around at any moment and send a mischievous wink. It was one of the rare moments when Lee Hae-sung seemed annoying.